EFMI

Introduction

The European Federation for Medical Informatics Association (EFMI) is the leading organization in medical informatics in Europe. All European countries are entitled to be represented in EFMI by a suitable Medical Informatics Society. The term medical informatics is used to include the whole spectrum of Health Informatics and all disciplines concerned with Health Informatics. EFMI is organized as a non-profit organization concerned with the theory and practice of Information Science and Technology within Health and Health Science in a European context. The objectives when founded in 1976 are still guiding:

• To advance international co-operation and dissemination of information in Medical Informatics on a European basis;

• To promote high standards in the application of medical informatics;

• To promote research and development in medical informatics;

• To encourage high standards in education in medical informatics;

• To function as the autonomous European Regional Council of IMIA

All representative societies in countries within the European Region of the WHO are entitled to apply for EFMI membership. Currently members of the EFMI are from Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Moldova, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and United Kingdom. EFMI is also open for institutional membership. Institutions, which typically become EFMI members, include non-profit organizations like universities, research organizations, NGOs, and for-profit organizations like small and medium size enterprises (SME) and multi-national companies. Currently, 12 organizations are institutional members of EFMI.

The EFMI Council oversees all activities of EFMI and gives the EFMI board direction, means, and resources for activities to develop health and biomedical informatics in Europe. The EFMI Council fully supports ongoing efforts to professionalize operation of the federation, increase visibility in social media, participate in European projects, and the AC2 (Accreditation and Certification Committee) initiative to foster cross-border mobility for health informatics students and professionals in Europe. These activities are elaborated in this report.

Further information about EFMI activities can be obtained via our website: http://www.EFMI.org and our social media outlets.

• References

• 1 Randell R, Cornet R, McCowan C, Peek N, Scott PJ. Informatics for Health: Connected citizen-led wellness and population health. Stud Health Technol Inform 2017; 235
• 2 Scott PJ, Cornet R, McCowan C, Peek N, Fraccaro P, Geifman N. et al. Informatics for Health 2017: Advancing both science and practice. J Innov Health Inform 2017; 24 (01) 1-185
• 3 Scott PJ, Cornet R, McCowan C, Peek N. Addendum to Informatics for Health 2017: Advancing both science and practice. J Innov Health Inform 2017; 24 (03) 291-310
• 4 Engelbrecht R, Balicer R, Hercigonja-Szekeres M. editors The Practice of Patient Centered Care: Empowering and Engaging Patients in the Digital Era. Stud Health Technol Inform 2017; 244